Hearing Aid Audiology & Hearing Assessment Flashcards

Which hearing loss configuration is most commonly associated with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)?

Answer: High-frequency notch at 3000–6000 Hz

NIHL characteristically produces a notch in the 3000–6000 Hz range, most pronounced at 4000 Hz, due to resonance in the outer ear canal.

What does the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) measure in the context of hearing aid verification?

Answer: The percentage of speech cues audible to the patient given their hearing loss and hearing aid output

The SII quantifies what proportion of the speech signal is accessible to the listener, combining audibility across frequencies weighted by their importance.

A patient with a symmetrical sensorineural loss reports better understanding in their left ear than right despite similar thresholds. What should be evaluated?

Answer: Assess word recognition scores and consider auditory processing evaluation

Discrepant word recognition scores despite similar thresholds warrant further testing for retrocochlear pathology or auditory processing disorder.

When performing real-ear measurement, where should the probe tube tip ideally be positioned?

Answer: 5–6 mm from the tympanic membrane

Probe tube placement 5–6 mm from the tympanic membrane ensures accurate SPL measurement near the eardrum while minimizing the risk of perforation.

Which pure-tone average (PTA) formula is most commonly used for hearing aid candidacy in the US?

Answer: Average of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz

The three-frequency PTA of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz is the most widely used standard for quantifying hearing loss severity and candidacy.

Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are absent in a patient with a 50 dB sensorineural loss. What does this indicate?

Answer: Outer hair cell damage is present

OAEs are generated by outer hair cells; their absence in sensorineural loss confirms outer hair cell dysfunction, which is the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss.

Which test is most useful for differentiating cochlear from retrocochlear hearing loss?

Answer: Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

ABR evaluates neural synchrony along the auditory pathway, and abnormal wave latencies or morphology suggest retrocochlear pathology such as acoustic neuroma.